Intel Expected To Develop 14A “1.4nm” & 10A “1.0nm” Process Nodes With EUV Lithography

Intel is reported to be on track with releasing newer process node technologies over the next few years — 3, 20A, and 18A. The company has already achieved Intel 7 in 2021 starting with the Alder Lake series of processors. Intel 7 was also used in Raptor Lake, Sapphire Rapids, Xe-HP, and Xe-HPC chipsets. Now, the company is looking towards the future with new process nodes to mass produce starting the first part of next year.

Intel develops 20A & 18A processes, to utilize EUV lithography machines from ASML with 14A & 10A also expected in the future

Intel is looking into continuing research and development of Intel 4 which was the original 7nm process node technology and will be featured in Meteor Lake and Granite Rapids. It is said to produce twenty percent performance per watt (PPW) over Intel 7 by utilizing EUV lithography. Intel 3 will then increase the EUV lithography to allow for more modularity and is slated to offer higher-performance libraries, increasing the PPW to eighteen percent.

Intel 20A and 18A will push the EUV machines manufactured by ASML to produce 1.8nm process nodes by 2024. 20A and 18A are unknown as to the processor series but will feature RibbonFET (ribbon field effect transistors) and PowerVia (backend power delivery network) for 20A & second-generation RibbonFET and High NA EUV lithography for 18A. RibbonFET replaced FinFET transistor architecture over the last year.

ASML is anticipating hitting the 1nm mark by 2028, but not before assisting Intel with the future-gen 14A process, which will use the 1.4nm process nodes.

EUV lithography technology, especially with research into improving the process, will increase the costs of manufacturing as well as the cost of creating newer machines to create the new process nodes. Currently, EUV lithography machines cost close to $150M with speculatory costs to rise to $400M.

The newest ASML EUV lithography machine currently being developed is the EXE:5000 series which will allow for High NA technology by the year 2026, which will coincide with Intel's plans for 18A.

Intel has not officially announced the development of the two newest generations (20A and 18A), but it is rumored that the tech giant is in the process of development, which would match its five-year plans created in 2021.

The post Intel Expected To Develop 14A “1.4nm” & 10A “1.0nm” Process Nodes With EUV Lithography by Jason R. Wilson appeared first on Wccftech.